Senate Panel Rejects Judge Nomination

May 9, 1986|By Washington Post

WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee refused to approve one of President Reagan's judicial nominees for the first time Thursday, then agreed in a second vote to send the nomination of Daniel Manion to the floor without a recommendation.

After hearing impassioned arguments that the Indiana lawyer is too inexperienced and his views too extreme, the panel rejected his nomination to a federal appeals court by a 9-to-9 tie.

Key negative votes were cast by Republicans Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Charles Mathias Jr. of Maryland and Democrat Dennis DeConcini of Arizona. A moment later, however, Specter and DeConcini switched their votes on a motion to have the full Senate consider the nomination without committee approval.

Democrats said the battle over Manion is a test of the Senate's will to block Reagan judicial nominees who Democrats contend are marginally qualified. ''This is one we'll go to the wall on,'' said ranking committee Democrat Joseph Biden Jr. of Delaware.

Manion, 44, a former state senator, is the son of the late Clarence Manion, a John Birch Society leader and former dean of Notre Dame Law School.

The nominee for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago frequently appeared with his father on a syndicated broadcast called The Manion Forum in the 1970s, making controversial statements that his critics have cited at length.

Democrats took pains Thursday to emphasize what they view as his meager record, including a small law practice in South Bend, Ind., that handles mainly personal and commercial claims in state court.